johnson



Aug. 9, 1960 c. R. JOHNSON MINERAL CONCENTRATING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1950 c. R. JOHNSON 2,948,397

MINERAL CONCENTRATING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E3 g5 27 \b 131.3 I u n 77 2 5 2 I47 I United States Fate n15.

2,948,397. 7 MINERAL CONCENTRATINGAPPARATUS Charles Ray Johnson, Route 2, Deepwater, Mo.

Filed Apr. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 655,420

6 Claims. (01. 209-455 This invention relates to mineral concentrating apparatus, and more particularly to a jig of the pulsating current type for concentrating crude manganese ores, and the like.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a 'jig ofthe class described which may be readily transported from place to place in the field for on-the-spotconcentration of ore; the provision of a jig of this class wherein provision is made for varying the concentration of the ore; the provision of a jig of this class which is relatively trouble-free and has a relatively long useful life; and the provision of a jig of this class which is economical to construct and efiicient in operation. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a jig of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away and shown in section, showing a gate constituting a part of the jig; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragment of Fig. v2 illustrating a moved position of parts.

' Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the draw- 1ng s..

section taken on line Referring tothe drawings, a jig of this invention is shown to comprise atrough-shaped hutch 1. As shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 the hutch comprises a steel plate 3 bent. to semicylindrical form constituting the sides and bottom of the hutch, and vertical steel plates 5 and 7 constituting the end walls of the hutch. Extending up from the hutch at one side is a screen compartment 9. This compartment is rectangular in plan, having side walls 11 and 13 and end walls 15 and 17. The side wall 11 consists of a steel plateextending up from one side edge of curved plate 3. The side wall 13 consists of a similar steel plateand is spaced from plate 11 a distance less than halfthewidth of the hutch. The end walls 15 and 17 are steel plates extending up from the hutch end walls.5.and 7. h I

t the bottom of the screen compartment 9 is a screen 19. This screen is pivoted atone end as indicated at 21 at one endof the screen compartment which con-' stitutes its discharge end, and has its other end. (at the feed end of the screen compartment) supported by a vertical rod 23. The screen is inclined downward toward th'discharge end of the screen compartment. The'rod 23 vertically-adjustable to'vary the inclination of the screen. For this purpose, the upper end of the rod is threaded as indicated at 25, extends through a hole in an ice " angle bracket 27 secured to wall 17, and has nuts 29 and 30 threaded thereon bearing on top and bottom of the bracket. On the outside of the end wall 17 of the screen compartment is a feed hopper 31, and the wall 17 has an opening 33 for entry of feed to the compartment from the hopper. A vertically adjustable feed gate is indicated at 34.

On top of the hutch alongside the screen compartment is a steel cover plate 35. This has a circular central opening 37. A steel ring 39 welded to the cover plate 35 extends upward around the opening. Welded on the ring is a bead section 41 cut from a conventional auto tire rim. Mounted on the bead section 41 is av conventional auto tire '43. The lower bead 45 of the tire bearing on the head section 41 is clamped between the bead section and a clamping ring 47, by means of clamp screws in bearings 69 mounted on brackets 71 carried by the side wall 13 of the screen compartment 9. Fixed on this shaft is a crank arm 73. The crank arm 73 is connected by an, adjustable-length link 75 to a lever 77 pivoted at 79 on the side wall 13 of the screen compartment. The connection of link 75 to lever 77 is by means of a member 80 adjustable to various positions lengthwise of the lever 77. A link 81 is connected at its upper end to the lever 77 as indicated at 83 and at its lower end to the center of plate 61 as indicated at 85. A horizontal lay shaft 87 (see Figs. 1 and 3) is journalled in bearings 89 mounted on brackets such as indicated at 91 to be parallel to the shaft 67. Shaft 87 is connected to shaft 67 by a speed reducing belt and pulley drive 93, and shaft 87 has a pulley 95 thereon for receiving a belt (not shown) from'a pulley (not shown) on a power take-oflf shaft of a tractor or the like. The arrangement is such that by driving the shaft 87 from such a power take-01f, the plate 61 is oscillated up and down, whereby of the sump 97 is inclined upward toward the discharge end of the jig. A pipe 101, which is inclined at the same angle as the bottom of the sump, projects out from the sump. A discharge screw 103 extends through the pipe and along the bottom of the sump. This is driven from an outside source of power (not shown).

The bottom edge of the end wall 15 of the screen compartment 9 (which is the end wall at the discharge end of the jig) is spaced well above the upper. edge of the hutch end wall 5. At 104 is indicated a discharge chute having a bottom wall 105 and side walls 106. The bottom wall 105 includes a removable section 107. The inner edge of the removable section 107 is located somewhat above the upper end of wall 5, and the entire wall 105 is inclined downward. This provides an opening 109 for discharge of gangue and an opening 111 for discharge dicated at 115 to the removable wall section 107. This flap has vertical slits 117 (see Fig. 4) extending up from amass? its lower edge. Concentrate discharged through opening 111 falls in a chute 118 into the pipe 101.

Mechanism is provided for operating the gate 113 in response to pulsation of water in the hutch 1 by the pulsator .P and .inresponse-to the level of the strata .of ,con:

extends over the upper edge of the end wall 15 of the screcnrcompartinent 9 and has arod 127 extending down from its other end into the screen compartment. This rod 127 extends down from a bracket 129 hinged to the end of the lever 119 by means of a rubber hinge 131. On the lowerend of therod isa floator fish 133 This float may be any of various suitable forms, such as a closed hollo yv metal cylinder, or even a piece .Qf sheet aluminum. Extending down from the center of the lever 1 19 to aconnection at 135 with the gate 113 i alink 137. This link 137 extends through a protecting pipe 139 which extends up from the bottom wall 107 of the discharge chute 104. The link consists of a rod having its upper end threaded as indicated at 141 and extending through a hole in the lever, with nuts 143 threaded thereonbelow and above the lever, with rubber washers 145 between the nuts and the lever. A curved link 147 extending over the upper edge of the end wall 15 of thescreen compartment has a rubber hinge connection at 149 with the angle bar 125 and a rubber hinge connection at 151 with the bracket 129. The rod 127 is vertically adjustable in the bracket 129, being held in adjusted position by set screws as indicated at 152. Fixed on the lever 119is a beam 153 on which slides a counterbalancing weight 155.

Operation is as follows:

The hutch 1 is filled with water, the normal water level being slightly above the bottom of the gangue discharge opening 109. This level is maintained by adding Water through the hopper 31 and the inlet 100 to make up for loss which occurs in the operation of the jig. Crushed ore-containing material (containing manganese ore, for example) is fed into the hopper 31 and on to the inclined screen 19.

The shaft 87 is driven (as from a power take-off on a tractor or the like) to drive shaft 67 and, via crank 73, link 75, lever 77 and link 81 to oscillate the pulsator plate 61. This causes an up-and-down pulsation" of the water in the screen compartment 9. For example, the arrangement and speed of operation may be such as to efiect about one hundred and thirty-five pulsations per minute, the water travelling up and down in the screen compartment about two inches, subject to considerable variation. The construction of the jig is such that the pulsation of the water in the screen compartment occurs evenly and without substantial turbulence.

The crushed material or feed on the screen 19 in the screen compartment is stratified by the pulsation of the water through the screen, the ore particles (which are of relatively high specific gravity, for example) tending to sink to the bottom against the screen. Any fines pass through the screen to the sump 97 and are fed out by the screw 103. Since the pulsation occurs evenly and without turbulence, the lift of the Water is substantially uniform throughout the entire area of the screen so that the stratification is thereby substantially uniform through-' out the area of the screen.

The float is so made and weight 155 is so adjusted on beam 153 that it is adapted to float on top of a strata of concentrate, the uppermost particles of which have the minimum specific gravity desired for the concentrate, and to sink down through any material of lower specific gravity. If all the material is of lower specific gravity than the minimum desired specific gravity, the float will sink down to the screen (in which position it is shown in Fig.

2). Adjustment is made so "that with thcfloat resting on the screen, the gate 113 is closed (see Fig. and with the float resting on the top of said strata, the gate is open an amount corresponding to the depth of said strata. In running raw material through the jig, if the depth of the strata varies, the average opening of the gate varies accordingly, so that the discharge of the stratified particles through the opening 111 is limited to the depth of a strata of concentrate, the uppermost particles of hzhavezthesies redim imnmssp cific gravity- F 5 shows the gate in a typical open p sition. If, for example, it should occur i-that all the material on the screen is of lower .sp,eeific graatity than :the minimum desired specific gravity, the float will sink all the way down to the Screen and close the gate m3'eompletely (see Fig. 2), so that there is no discharge through the opening 111. Making the gate 113 of rubber and slitting it permits it to close without jamming in the event that, in moving toward i s closed nos en, i s 0n d-.encn nter.a relati y arge n ch h i at nia Th pu sat on of the water in thescreeneornpaht ent 9 causes vertical oscillation of material above the screen nd .stra ties it so' ha he h av spe ific gr y Strata thigh s .fa medmone towar the dischargeqp in 11 n .a rat e .un nlatingi sh nn. This vertical oscill tion of e aonce tr t l tn a n respon to the pulsation o th ater au e th iloa to vett callyh c late-insynchronism therewith. Thegate113 w 'ichis linked to the float there tore vibrates in on di n with th fl at moveme t- Th aver ge gate pen ng w l thus cor spon o th ept of he strata o one tta e. The y bra i n Qfthe a i synehronism wi h the fle tand rat o l i n P arly advan age us t e peratien f the annaratus f the Pre en in ention The concentrate al in chut 8 in the pin 0.1 and is ca ri d away y the screw 1'03. Gangue discharges threugh .opening 109 and the chute 1 4- Wa e m y he r covered tram his di char and reused, if desired.

The capacity of the jig is controlled by varying the inclination pr the screen 19 and the how of water into the jig. The inclination of the screen is adjusted by turning he nuts 2 and 0. Various sizes of material may :be

handled by appropriate selection of screen size. Having Sele t d t appropria e screen, t e material m y h epata e into he proper spe ific gravi y c ss fica ion by selecting an appropriate rate and intensity of pnlsation, a d .ann hnriat asiil stm n .of th we ght .155-

The rubber hinge connections at 125,131, 149 and 15,1, and th nihher te 1.1 h n ed as sho n n his 4 pmd? t r relat xely hnhhle-free peration, being re tixely unaffected by the accumulation of dirt such as occurs in apparatus .o the s s de rihed- The oc o of t pulsati g m an a e t p of the hutch is advan ag us tha with t is amahae'ment the'pn s t n an rem ins clean. The flow of water through inlet carrie fines to imi the discharge screw 193 to assist in their .dis, charge, and serves to supply make-up water.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advanta; geous results attained.

As ar ous changes n d be m de n the above 911- st uet ons wit out dep rt ng tra he s op o th invention, 1 s i te r esi that a matter wh a had n t e above desc pt h gr .she n the ac empany ng drawing shall he'i pie es as illust a i e and n t a limit ng s nse.

I claim:

A iig gamprising .a trou h-shaped hutch ha a swed'i late f rming :bnttnm anqsi es, and

mat s .f hnins i s nds, sihnp a the bhttom at he h, th hate 'h vhig hne ins m its bo tom hom- 1.2 1 this wi h h snmpia pip exten ng n; treat the bottom of the screen compartment, said screen being inclined downward toward one end of the hutch, means on the top portion of the hutch alongside the screen compartment for pulsating water in the hutch, the water passing up and down through the screen to stratify material on the screen according to its specific gravity, and the screen compartment having a discharge opening at said one end of the hutch immediately above the adjacent end of the screen, a gate for said discharge opening comprising a rubber flap attached along an upper margin thereof to the portion of the screen compartment immediately above the discharge opening, said flap, when generally flat, extending downward from said portion of the screen compartment to the bottom of siad discharge opening for completely closing off the discharge opening, floating-operated mechanism for controlling the gate comprising a float in the scren compartment adapted to float on top of a strata of material having a desired specific gravity and to sink through a material of lower specific gravity, and a iinkage interconnecting the float and the outside of the rubber flap for bending the flap up and outward away from the bottom of the discharge opening to open the discharge opening upon using of the float, and a chute extending down from the discharge opening to the pipe.

2. A mineral jig as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is a cover plate on the top portion of the hutch alongside the screen compartment, said cover plate having an opening, and wherein said pulsating means comprises a rubber tire surrounding said opening and having its lower bead sealed to the cover plate, a diaphragm plate sealed to the upper head of the tire and closing the opening in the tire defined by its upper bead, and means for moving said diaphragm plate up and down.

3. A mineral jig comprising a hutch, a sceren compartment on the hutch, a screen at the bottom of the screen compartment, said screen being inclined downward toward one end of the compartment constituting its discharge end, means for pulsating water in the hutch, the water passing up and down through the screen to stratify material on the screen according to its specific gravity, said compartment having a discharge opening at its discharge end immediately above the discharge end of the screen, a gate for said discharge opening comprising a rubber flap attached along an upper margin thereof to the portion of the screen compartment immediately above the discharge opening, said flap, when generally flat, extending downward from said portion of the screen compartment to the bottom of said discharge opening for completely closing off the discharge opening, said flap being adapted to bend around any relatively large piece of material that it may. encounter in moving toward closed position so that it may close without jamming if such a piece of material is present, and float-operated mechanism for controlling the gate comprising a float in the screen compartment adapted to float on top of a strata of material having a desired specific gravity and to sink through a material of lower specific gravity, and a linkage interconnecting the float and the outside of the rubber flap for bending the flap up and outward away from the bottom of the discharge opening to open the discharge opening upon rising of the float.

4. A mineral jig as set forth in claim 3 wherein the flap has slits extending up from its lower edge.

5. A mineral jig as set forth in claim 3 wherein the mechanism for controlling the flap comprises a lever pivoted at one end on a fixed support outside the screen compartment and extending over the screen compartment, a link extending down from the lever to a connection with I the flap on the outside of the screen compartment, a rod pivotally connected to the other end of the lever and extending down into the screen compartment and carrying the float at its lower end, and a link pivotally connected at one end to the fixed support and extending over and down into the screen compartment and having its other end pivotally connected to said rod.

6. A mineral jig as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of the stated pivotal connections is constituted by a rubber hinge member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,144,735 Simon June 29, 1915 1,217,826 Reap Feb. 27, 1917 2,083,393 Norton i.... June 8, 1937 2,328,402 Aug. 3 1, 1943 2,792,910 Recline-SS May 21, 1957 

